Benedict J. Semmes, Jr.
|death_date= |birth_place= Memphis, Tennessee |death_place= Virginia Beach, Virginia |placeofburial=Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia |image= VADM Benedict J. Semmes Jr.jpg |caption= |allegiance= United States of America |branch= United States Navy |serviceyears=1934-1972 |rank= Vice Admiral |commands=* * *Chief of Naval Personnel *United States Second Fleet *Strike Fleet, Atlantic *President of the Naval War College |unit= |battles=*World War II **Pacific War ***Leyte campaign ***Luzon campaign ***Okinawa campaign *Cold War |awards=*Navy Cross *Legion of Merit (two awards) *Distinguished Service Medal |relations=Walden L. Ainsworth (father-in-law) |laterwork=*Director, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge *President, Wonalancet Preservation Society }} Benedict Joseph Semmes, Jr. (8 April 1913Military Times Hall of Valor: Benedict Joseph Semmes, Jr. – 4 June 1994[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-894547.html Anonymous, "Benedict Semmes, Vice Admiral, Dies at 81," The Washington Post, June 7, 1994.]) was a vice admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in World War II and the Cold War, command of destroyers, a lengthy tour as Chief of Naval Personnel, command of the United States Second Fleet, duty as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, and a tour as President of the Naval War College. Naval career Semmes was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on 8 April 1913.Military Times Hall of Valor: Benedict Joseph Semmes, Jr. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1934.Military Times Hall of Valor: Benedict Joseph Semmes, Jr. As a lieutenant commander, Semmes took command of the destroyer during World War II on 12 August 1944 and continued as her commanding officer until August 1945.TogetherWeServed: VADM Benedict Semmes During his time in command, Picking escorted troop transports during the Leyte campaign in October 1944Morison, Vol. XII, p. 419. – narrowly missing action in the Battle of Leyte GulfMorison, Vol. XII, pp. 295''n'', 304. – and escorted amphibious forces and rendered gunfire support to troops ashore during the Luzon campaign in January 1945.Morison, Vol. XIII, pp. 188, 204, 311. In April and May 1945, Picking repeated these duties during the Okinawa campaign.Morison, Vol. XIV, p. 375. When, on 18 May 1945, the destroyer ran aground on a reef off Okinawa and came under fire from Japanese artillery on the island, Picking attempted to pull Longshaw off the reef under Japanese fire and, failing in that, stood by Longshaw, returning fire against the Japanese guns and defending Longshaw until Longshaw s crew was forced to abandon ship. Semmes received the Navy Cross for this action.Military Times Hall of Valor: Benedict Joseph Semmes, Jr.Morison, Vol. XIV, p. 247. After World War II, Semmes was commanding officer of the destroyer from January 1948 to July 1949.TogetherWeServed - VADM Benedict Semmes In May 1964 Semmes became Chief of Naval Personnel, serving in the position until March 1968; he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit for the tour.Military Times Hall of Valor: Benedict Joseph Semmes, Jr. In April 1968 he became Commander of the United States Second Fleet, with additional duty as Commander, Strike Fleet, Atlantic, until September 1970.Military Times Hall of Valor: Benedict Joseph Semmes, Jr. He then served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations from October 1970 to July 1971, receiving a second award of the Legion of Merit for the tour.Military Times Hall of Valor: Benedict Joseph Semmes, Jr. On 17 August 1971, Semmes became the 36th President of the Naval War College. He served as president until 30 June 1972. During his presidency, he shifted the college s emphasis from foreign and international affairs to management concepts.Past Presidents page at the Naval War College official Web site Semmes retired from the Navy in 1972 as a vice admiral upon the conclusion of his college presidency.TogetherWeServed - VADM Benedict Semmes Personal life Semmes was married to the former Katherine "Kit" Ainsworth (23 May 1918–24 May 2007),Katherine Ainsworth Semmes (1918-2007) Find-A-Grave Memorial the daughter of Vice Admiral Walden L. "Pug" Ainsworth (10 November 1886 – 7 August 1960).[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-894547.html Anonymous, "Benedict Semmes, Vice Admiral, Dies at 81," The Washington Post, June 7, 1994.] They had a son and three daughters,TogetherWeServed - VADM Benedict Semmes one of whom, Raphaelle, died during Benedict Semmes lifetime on 6 June 1993.[http://www.nytimes.com/1993/04/09/obituaries/raphaelle-semmes-46-headed-panel-for-bush.html Anonymous, "Raphaelle Semmes, 46; Headed Panel For Bush," The New York Times, April 9, 1993.] Semmes was a resident of Wonalancet, New Hampshire, but also lived frequently in the Washington, D.C., area from 1952 until his death.[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-894547.html Obituary: "Benedict Semmes, Vice Admiral, Dies at 81," The Washington Post, June 7, 1994.] Semmes was a member of the Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C. In retirement, he was director of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge and president of the Wonalancet Preservation Society. Death Semmes was visiting Virginia Beach, Virginia, to attend the 27 May 1994 decommissioning of the frigate – namesake of his father-in-law – when he fell ill. He died of respiratory failure in a hospital there on 4 June 1994 after undergoing intestinal surgery.[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-894547.html Obituary: "Benedict Semmes, Vice Admiral, Dies at 81," The Washington Post, June 7, 1994.] He is buried with his wife at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.Katherine Ainsworth Semmes (1918-2007) Find-A-Grave Memorial Notes References *Katherine Ainsworth Semmes (1918-2007) Find-A-Grave Memorial *Past Presidents page at the Naval War College official Web site *Military Times Hall of Valor: Benedict Joseph Semmes, Jr. *TogetherWeServed - VADM Benedict Semmes *[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-894547.html Anonymous, "Benedict Semmes, Vice Admiral, Dies at 81," The Washington Post, June 7, 1994.] *[http://www.nytimes.com/1993/04/09/obituaries/raphaelle-semmes-46-headed-panel-for-bush.html Anonymous, "Raphaelle Semmes, 46; Headed Panel For Bush," The New York Times, April 9, 1993.] * Jackson, John E., Jondavid Duvall, and Kimberly Rhoades, eds. Naval War College Illustrated History and Guide, Second Edition. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2010. ISBN 978-1-884733-72-7, ISBN 1-884733-72-7. *Morison, Samuel Eliot. History of United States Navy Operations in World War II, Volume XII: Leyte, June 1944–January 1945. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1988. *Morison, Samuel Eliot. History of United States Navy Operations in World War II, Volume XIII: The Liberation of the Philippines: Luzon, Mindanao, the Visayas, 1944–1945. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1989. *Morison, Samuel Eliot. History of United States Navy Operations in World War II, Volume XIV: Victory in the Pacific, 1945. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1990. External links *Portrait of Benedict J. Semmes, Jr., at Naval War College official Web site *Photo of headstone of Benedict J. Semmes, Jr., and Katharine Ainsworth Semmes *Award citations for Benedict Joseph Semmes, Jr. Category:1913 births Category:1994 deaths Category:People from Memphis, Tennessee Category:People from Carroll County, New Hampshire Category:Presidents of the Naval War College Category:United States Navy admirals Category:United States Naval Academy alumni Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Category:People with name suffixes